Surviving The Assault on Private Sector Careers in America

Money Questions for The Magic Moment

Okay, back to capitalizing on that magic moment that occurs between receiving your job offer and accepting it. Today I want to talk about money; specifically the questions you might ask during the magic moment to discover vital information about you future financial prospects.

First a word of caution; these questions are real squirmers, so be careful to ask them as diplomatically as possible. Keep in mind that you may be talking to your future boss and the last thing you want to do is to make him or her regret that they offered you a job before you even start!

The Real Story on Raises

·How often do people who work here get a raise?

·What is a typical raise for someone who does a good job?

Truth About Bonuses (assuming you have a bonus component in your compensation plan)

·Are bonuses based on the objectives we mutually agreed upon, or do you assign them.

·What happens if we disagree on setting them?

·What happens if we disagree about how well I did?

·Does company performance affect the size of a bonus?

·What happens to my bonus if my objectives change during the period?

·What is the average bonus earned?

·Does anyone ever get 100% or more?

The questions about the percentage of bonus paid out is important, I’ve seen multiple companies who NEVER pay 100%, yet include the amount earned at 100% in everyone’s offer letter.

Promotions?

·What’s the career path in this job?

·How long until I’m eligible for a promotion?

·What is the typical raise associated with a promotion?

·How long do you plan to stay here?

·Who is in line for your job if you leave?

You get the picture? These are real hard questions, but think about how much easier it will be to evaluate a job after you’ve asked them — especially if you’re changing jobs in the hopes of earning more money and/or getting promoted.